This invention relates to a passive transponder identification system and a method of using the same, more specifically, a system which is capable of being used with multiple transponders to monitor the feeding and drinking behavior of animals in order to predict a variety of conditions relating to health, productivity and quality.
Over the past forty years or so passive radio frequency identification has been used to automatically identify objects. One example of a practical application of this technology is in monitoring the feeding and drinking habits of animals. Passive transponder technology has been used to monitor animal feeding behavior when animals are in a closely controlled environment with each animal having its own feeding stall. In such situations, it is possible to monitor weight loss or gain by utilizing conventional weighing devices.
Studies on animal behavior have determined, however, that side by side feeding in long troughs induces competitiveness between the animals which results in, among other things, increased feed intake and faster growth of the animals.
The basic elements of such systems include a reader/transmitter, an antenna and a transponder. The reader/transmitter sends an electromagnetic charge wave through the antenna to the transponder, which uses this energy to transmit a radio frequency signal back through the antenna to the reader/transmitter. Typically, the signal includes an identification code unique to each transponder. In order to monitor the activities of large herds or confined groupings of animals, one must be able to monitor multiple transponders in a relatively small area. With currently available technology it is extremely difficult to read multiple transponders using one reader/transmitter.
If each one of the multiple transponders uses the same frequency to transmit its unique identification code back to the reader/transmitter, a single reader/transmitter is unable to readily decipher each individual identification code. In order to make systems with multiple transponders operational, multiple reader/transmitters are required which, in turn, render such systems costly, and will also reduce the area in which the transponders can be simultaneously read.
Wherefore, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned problems and drawbacks associated with the prior art designs.
Another object is to provide a passive transponder identification system that is capable of transmitting to and reading signals sent from multiple transponders, even if all of the transponders utilize the same frequency.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an unobtrusive system and method of monitoring the feeding behavior of animals that is adapted for use in a confined side by side feeding and/or drinking environment.
It is another object of the present invention to allow more accurate monitoring of the animals to occur by improved positioning of the antennas. For example, the inventors have obtained beneficial results by having a plurality of antennas integrally formed or molded into a large flexible mat which is then installed as a lining along an elongate feeding or drinking trough.
Still another object of the present invention is to increase the read range of the transponders while still keeping the system as inexpensive as possible. For example, in a preferred form of the invention, a panel, which houses an RF Generator, is mounted in the central region of the flexible mat housing the plurality of antennas. Alternatively, in a further effort to reduce the manufacturing costs of the flexible mats, it is beneficial to print a conductive ink on a non-conductive substrate to which metals can be plated. Both sides of the substrate are utilized to keep the inductance of the wire(s) leading to the antennas as low as possible.
Yet other objects of the present invention are: (1) to reduce the thickness of the flexible mat, (2) to provide a more sturdy and lightweight flexible mat, and (3) to provide a flexible mat that can be readily glued to a conventional feeding or drinking trough to thereby facilitate minimal maintenance of the flexible mat while still providing for a secure attachment of the flexible mat to the feeding or drinking bunk. It is to be appreciated that for utilization in agricultural environments, the flexible mat must be very easy to install, service, connect, disconnect, etc.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a panel, housing a RF Generator, equipped with data storage capabilities and a transmission mechanism to facilitate transmission of data from the panel by means of infrared technology or RF technology. Such remote transmission minimizes the amount of wiring that is necessary for use in this system and avoids the need to have a plurality of wires running from the remote data collection locations to a central monitoring location. The running of such wires, especially in agricultural environments, is costly and such wires can also readily become damaged and/or disconnected.
A further object of the present invention is to provide computer software to collect data and facilitate analyzing of the behavior of various animals to be monitored in view of the collected data. In a preferred form of the invention, the software is designed to segregate each day into a plurality of different time periods to highlight the diurnal and nocturnal behavior of animals. By segregating the day into a plurality of time periods, it is possible to distinguish between the various time periods of the day and determine the total elapsed time actually spent feeding or drinking at a trough. The software can then either discount or augment the determined total elapsed time spent feeding or drinking at a trough, by use of a suitable adjustment factor, to allow more accurate prediction of the actual consumption of feed or water by each animal during the determined total elapsed time. The segregation of the day in a plurality of different time periods, in turn, allows a more accurate prediction of whether the animal is sick, healthy, feeding normally, feeding abnormally, has acidosis, etc.
According to the present invention there is provided a passive transponder identification system which includes a plurality of transponders, a microprocessor, a single reader/transmitter coupled to the microprocessor, and a computer. A plurality of antennas are provided and each antenna is coupled, via a signal relay circuit, with the microprocessor and the reader/transmitter to facilitate transmission and reception of signals. The microprocessor sequentially activates each one of the plurality of antennas, via the signal relay circuit, to send a signal from the single reader/transmitter to any adjacent transponder(s). An exchange of signals occurs between any adjacent transponder(s) and the activated antenna during the activating sequence. The computer records the transmitted and received signals and maintains and manipulates the obtained data to generate the desired monitoring information.
The present invention also relates to a method of monitoring feeding behavior. The first step involves positioning a plurality of antennas at selected spaced intervals along an elongate feeding or drinking trough. The second step involves equipping each animal with a passive transponder with a unique identification code. The third step involves coupling the antennas to the computer which monitors the desired activities of the animals feeding and/or drinking side by side at the trough for animal behaviors which can effect feeding behavior. The last step involves interpreting the data to predict a desired behavior of the animal to be monitored.
The present invention relates to a method of monitoring animal feeding behavior, comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of antennas at predetermined locations along one of a feeding location and a drinking location to be monitored;
providing each of a plurality of animals with a passive transponder having a unique identification code;
transmitting an electronic signal from at least one of said plurality of antennas to any sufficiently adjacent animal provided with a passive transponder and receiving a return electronic signal from any sufficiently adjacent passive transponder;
processing said return electronic signal via a computer, to determine preliminary results relating to an animal behavior which affects animal feeding characteristics; and
modifying the preliminary results via a modification factor to generate a final result that predicts, with an acceptable level of predictability, the animal behavior which affects a consumption activity to be monitored.
The present invention also relates to a system for monitoring animal feed behavior, said system comprising: an elongate mat having a plurality of antennas spaced therealong; a plurality of passive transponders, each passive transponder having a unique identification code so that when the passive transponder is affixed to an animal, the passive transponder facilitates identification of that animal; an electronic control system for transmitting the electronic signal sequentially to each one of said plurality of antennas such that an activated antenna emits the signal and, any sufficiently passive transponder sufficiently adjacent to the activated antenna, receives the signal and generates a return electronic signal which is sent to the activated antenna; a computer, coupled to said plurality of antennas, to receive a return signal from the passive transponder and generating preliminary results to an animal behavior which effects animal feeding characteristics; and modification factor, incorporated in the computer, for modifying the preliminary results to generate a final result that predicts, with an acceptable level of predictability, the animal behavior which effects a consumption activity to be monitored.